BeSafe products often come out on top when tested, and we think that this is fantastic. However, the most important thing for us is not the results of these simplified consumer tests; we ourselves need to know that we are making the safest seats that it is possible to produce. If we can’t do this, we will never be satisfied. BeSafe places top priority on safety. Our child safety seats are therefore subjected to extreme testing in order to ensure that children are provided with the best possible protection in the real world of car travel. We are also even more proud when BeSafe child car seats win such tests in which safety features as a priority.

All BeSafe seats are tested by ADAC

HTS BeSafe, have since the early 90’s used ADAC Test lab and their test criteria for dynamic crash tests for product development for all BeSafe car seats. In general these test criterias is about 50% more strict than the ECE R44 approval standard.

HTS BeSafe do have a target to develop products with the highest safety performance in the market. That’s the reason why we invest a lot of money and time by using ADAC and their capacity and knowledge in development of BeSafe car seats.
All BeSafe seats are tested by the ADAC before entering the market. Tests conducted by the ADAC are more stringent than ordinary child car seat tests that all manufacturers are subject to. Below is an explanation of how the tests are conducted.

How are child car seat tests conducted by the ICRT?

The Consumer Organizations in Europe do yearly crash test of new car seats in the market. The car seat manufacturers are not involved in the selection of seats or brands. The Consumer Organizations are buying the products from actual retailers, normally in Germany. The dynamic crash tests are done by ADAC in South Germany according to the ADAC crash test criteria.

The car seat manufacturer have no access to any information about the test results for own products before the test is published by the German Consumer Organization, Stiftung Warentest and ADAC.

Crash tests at the ADAC are tougher than the tests seats are subject to in order to obtain type approval in Europe (ECE R44). Front collision and side collision are the most important elements of the tests however, the seat’s construction is also a key factor.

The dynamic crash test results represent 50% of the total evaluation per product.

The other 50% is based on risk of misuse, easy installation, comfort for the child, handling and cleaning, installation of seats in real cars. Additionally the consumer test do very critical test of ingredients of hazardous chemicals. This criteria is continuously updated according to new research and knowledge.

User-friendliness and comfort

Since 2011, greater emphasis has been placed on child comfort. The sitting position and roominess of the seat are evaluated. An evaluation is also made of how much space the seat takes up in the car.

During this part of the test, the seats are installed in three different types of cars, one medium family car, one smaller family car and one “mini car”, both on the sides and in the middle seats. The test criteria is assessed by both experts and parents. Both test dummies and real children are used in these parts of the test.

Risk of incorrect use of a child car seat:

Seat incorrectly installed in the car

Child improperly secured in the seat

Securing and releasing the child from the car seat:

Is it easy/difficult to secure the child properly in the seat?

Is it easy/difficult to release and remove the child afterwards?

Installing the child car seat:

How difficult is it to install/adjust the seat correctly in the car?

Adjusting the seat to the child’s size:

How easy is it to adjust the seat as the child grows, or to adjust it to another child?

User guide:

How easy is the user guide to understand?

Space for the child in the car seat:

How much space does the child have when it is properly secured in the seat? (Head support, space in the seat)

Dimensions of the child car seat:

How much space does the seat actually take up in the car when it is correctly installed?

Sitting position:

How ergonomic is the sitting position, as well as any lying position, when the seat is correctly installed?

Comfort:

How much thigh and leg support does the child have?

How well padded is the seat?

How good is the child’s view from the seat when the seat is correctly installed and the child is properly secured?

Cleaning and finish:

How easy is the seat to clean?

How easy is it to remove and wash the seat cover?

What type of finish does the seat have and what is the overall impression of its finish?

Materials

The ICRT has tested the seats for harmful and undesirable chemicals. The consumer organization has a very strict evaluation of chemical ingredients. With a poor result, the seat’s total score will be negatively affected.

ECE R44 04

ECE R44 04 is a European approval standard. Child car seats are tested in frontal collisions at 50 km/h and rear collisions at 30 km/h using crash test dummies and measuring instruments designed to see how well the seats protect the test dummies.

All child car seats currently being sold in Europe, Middle East and most Asian countries must be ECE R44 04 approved. In most countries ECE R44 03 is not allowed anymore. All BeSafe seats are compliant with ECE R44 04.

ADAC

ADAC is an organization representing the interests of car owners in Germany which organizes tests of child car seats. The tests conducted are approx. 50% more stringent or stipulate stricter requirements than the ECE R4404 standards.

In these tests 50% of the emphasis is on collision results and 50% relates to user friendliness, comfort, instructions for use and installation methods, etc. This is a worst case scenario test, that means the poorest result will influence the total score. Frontal and side collisions are conducted. Side collisions is particularly important, because children can sustain much more serious injuries in side collisions than in frontal collisions. The frequency of severe head- and neck injuries are higher in side collisions than in frontal collisions.

Stiftung Warentest

Stiftung Warentest is the consumer council in Germany. It administers and conducts tests on behalf of the International Consumer Research and Testing organisation, ICRT. Stiftung Warentest conducts its own tests in collaboration with the ADAC. These tests are conducted using frontal collisions at a speed of 64 km per hour and side collisions, while ECE R44 only tests frontal and rear collisions.

Plus test

The VTI and NTF introduced the Plus Test in Sweden in 2009. This test provides a stamp of quality for seats that are so good that they are recommended in Sweden. The Plus Test has such strict requirements that forward facing child car seats would not be able to comply with the Plus test. The thinking behind the test is that no children sitting in a child car seat which is Plus Test labeled would sustain any serious/life-threatening injuries in a collision.

WHICH

European consumer organizations are members of ICRT and do publish their own test report. However, these reports are copies of the Stiftung Warentest and ADAC Tests, but published in another lay-out. As example, WHICH in the UK.

What is the Plus Test?

There are many things you as a parent need to consider when choosing a child car seat. Is it approved for my child? How long can he / she use it? Will it fit in our car? Is it simple and easy to install? These are some of the many relevant issues, you as a parent need to ask yourself before choosing a car seat. Important to remember is that a matter is more important than any other – Security!

Plus test

All child car seats in the European and Scandinavian market must be approved according to ECE R44 or UN R129.

The Plus test is a voluntary approval that car seat manufacturers may choose to test their car seats for. A child safety seat approved according to the Plus test has passed the toughest crash test and get an additional marking as evidence.

The requirements for getting an approved car seat is too low

All child car seat tests, except the Plus test, measures the strain on the crash test dummy’s chest rather than the neck which says nothing about the risk factor

The Plus test measures the strain on the crash test dummy’s neck and the requirements for maximum strain are very tough.

The Plus Test has such strict requirements that forward facing child car seats would not be able to comply with them. The thinking behind the test is that no children sitting in a child car seat which is Plus Test approved would sustain any serious/life-threatening injuries in a collision.

Red Dot Design award

Award for Design Excellence

BeSafe iZi Go X1 and BeSafe iZi Go Modular can fit on a number of strollers, by using the Maxi Cosi adapters.

BeSafe chooses to test the BeSafe iZi Go X1 and BeSafe iZi Go Modular in combination with several strollers to judge if they are compliant with the European standard EN 1888*. Since strollers can be combined with carrycots, seat units or car seats for babies (group 0+ seats), all these combinations are also regulated in EN 1888. When a combination of a certain type of stroller with a certain car seat complies with EN 1888, the combination is confirmed as safe to use.

These tests are done by TÜV in Germany.

BeSafe test stability, strength of the connection and durability of both stroller and car seat.

BeSafe iZi Go X1 and BeSafe iZi Go Modularcan fit on a number of strollers, by using the Maxi Cosi adapters. BeSafe chooses to test the BeSafe iZi Go X1 and BeSafe iZi Go Modular in combination with several strollers to judge if they are compliant with the European standard EN 1888*.

In the test program the combination is tested on stability, strength of the connection and durability of both stroller and car seat. It is not sufficient simply if the car seat fits on the stroller adapters because the stability or durability of the combination might not be sufficient.

Combinations of strollers and car seats

BeSafe publishes all combinations of strollers and car seats, which have been tested and approved, in the stroller list which can be found as a hang tag on the product. You will find the most updated stroller lists here.